


Forgot My Heart

by Tessela



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-04-26 22:01:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14411451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tessela/pseuds/Tessela
Summary: In a nasty fatal accident Danny ends up forgetting half of his memories. Now helping him go through the motions of regaining them, Valerie hopes she doesn't lose the man she loves in the process. ValxDan





	1. PTA

**Chapter 1**

**-V-**

**PTA**

Valerie's heart dropped when she saw the blur of black rocket past her. It shot straight through a building before colliding with a brick clock tower with a nasty slap.

"Danny!" She screamed, turning her head to catch sight of him but the innards of the building caved in and blocked her way. She turned her angry eyes back to their target and charged at them.

Jazz flew up next to Valerie in the Fenton Peeler. The face shield slid up. "Valerie, go to Danny! I'll handle this ghost." With that, Jazz flew past her into the fray. Valerie slowed her board and turned it around away from the fight to fly after him. She whizzed through the ruins of gaping building on her hoverboard and to the clock tower where Danny's form was cratered into the brick. "Oh my God," she breathed as her hands lightly touched his pale, cold face. Crimson blood seeped through his silver hair and ribboned across his forehead. It was clear he had a bad concussion and Valerie needed to move him fast.

She peeled his body from the crater and lugged him onto her hoverboard, careful of his twisted arm and sickly broken leg.

"Just hold on Danny. You can't fall asleep. Stay awake for me please." Her voice was calm but laced with fear as she spoke. It was enough for Danny's conscious to deem it safe enough to transform back. He was bleary-eyed and tired beyond words, but still was conscious.

Valerie flew him to Amity Park Hospital where she transformed out of her suit in nearby trees and rushed Danny through the doors.

**-V-**

Valerie sat in the waiting room wringing her hands dry in her seat. After she rushed him in, the doctors had pushed her aside to get Danny into the O.R. It was long, dreadful six hours before a nurse stepped out to see her. Valerie had been on the phone with Maddie Fenton when she approached.

"Thank you so much Maddie, we really appreciate it. See you when you get here." With that, Valerie hung up the phone.

"Mrs. Fenton?" Said the nurse.

Valerie jumped from her seat. "Yes?"

"Your husband has been stabilized. He has a concussion, a broken arm, and a few broken ribs that are minor." Said the nurse but Valerie could feel something was missing in her words. Valerie ceased to listen to the nurse and walked past her into Danny's room.

The first thing she saw when she opened the door was Danny's bandaged head. His leg was propped up in a cast along with his arm. His body was hooked up to numerous tubes wiring along his bedside, dripping him vital fluids.

Valerie released an uneasy breath as she stepped carefully to his bedside. She slowly pulled a chair to him and gingerly ran her fingers along his cheek. Color seem to have returned to them and he felt warmer than his did earlier. His breathing was normal and besides the obvious mummy look he was sporting, her Danny looked fine.

Valerie smiled. "You barely made it this time Ghost Boy. You had me worried." She leaned over and pressed her lips against his. Valerie pressed a hand to her mouth as she yawned. All the waiting and worrying that she did was catching up to her and sleep was heavy in her being. She laid her head in her arms against his bed and sighed one last time.

**-V-**

Valerie felt something stir against her. At first, she ignored it, but remembering where she was, her eyes popped open. She jerked from her sleeping position to see Danny stirring in his sleep.

"Danny?" She whispered, coming closer to his side.

"Hm…" He groaned as he moved his head. "My head is killing me…Where am I?"

"Danny, you're here with me, Valerie." She smiled. "You bumped your head."

"Valerie? Where's Sam?" His eyes slowly opened and examined his surroundings. He first looked at the ceiling, then the room he was in. The tv was on and muted with the Amity News playing. His eyes then slid to the caramel skinned woman that looked like she's seen a ghost.

Well she wasn't far off…

"Sam?" She repeated the words carefully and Danny looked back as if it was obvious.

"Uh, yea, my  _girlfriend_. Where is she? Where's Tucker?" Danny tried to sit up but the pain in his head was unbearable and he fell back into his pillow.

"But Danny…Do you recognize me?" Her voice wavered as she spoke. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yea, Valerie. I thought you moved away…Why are you here?" He eyed her skeptically, he watched as her eyes watered, the shocked expression never leaving her face. He quickly grew worried as she fumbled to her feet from his bedside.

"Nurse…" Valerie said as if it was an afterthought. "Yes…I'll-I'll get the nurse- NURSE!" Valerie quickly stood and ran from the room.

When she returned, she brought a slew of people trailing behind her. They all stood around Danny's bed, talking and prodding him. Like earlier, Valerie ended up getting ushered out the room again while they worked.

Even more worried, she waited outside the door for another thirty minutes before a few doctors stepped out, talking in hushed voices amongst one another.

"So...?" She drawled out in frustration to the group of doctors, using her hands to illustrate for them to speak to her.

The primary doctor stepped up and cleared his throat. "It seems Daniel is experiencing Post-Traumatic Amnesia from his concussion. His memory seem to only allow him to remember up to when he was seventeen-years-old."

"Seventeen…" She whispered. "That's one year before we reconnected. What will happen to him? When will he get his memories back?"

"Well Mrs. Fenton, it can be a number of hours, days, weeks, and in some rare cases, months and even  _years_ before Daniel could regain his memories." Her face fell as his last words.  _Years_  before Danny could remember his life up to this point. The doctor's words scared her.

"For now, surround Daniel with familiar faces and try to jog his memories with pictures, shows that he loves, and objects. Anything helps. Just be careful not to overwhelm him. He's in a very delicate state right now.

We will continue to keep him for overnight observation and continue to run tests." With that, his doctor stepped aside to allow Valerie entrance.

Valerie walked back in to see a confused Danny staring at her intensely with confusion and intrigue. For the first time since he woke up he eyed the strange woman who claimed to be his best friend,  _Valerie_. She looked like Val, but older and curvier. Her long, dark curly hair looked tousled and put into a sloppy bun atop her head as a few coily strands fell to frame her heart-shaped face. Lack of sleep and tiredness was evident in her features as dark marks circled her beautiful Hazel-green eyes. She sat back her seat and pulled it up once again to his bedside.

"Do you know what the doctors say is wrong, Danny?" She spoke with a small smile.

"Apparently, I have amnesia and can't remember parts of my past."

"What can you remember?" She gently took his warm calloused hand into her softer ones and soothingly rubbed the back of his hand. Danny felt uncomfortable as she did so. The action was too intimate for just friends.

"Last thing I can remember is…You moved away, and Sam and I were on our date and Tucker got a scholarship to M.I.T…" Danny continued to list the things off from their junior year of high school and Valerie listened patiently until he finished. They sat in silence as Valerie worried her lip and Danny fished his tired brain for the missing pieces of his memory.

"Hey, Valerie." He called out. She looked up from her lap and smiled.

"Yea?"

"I really appreciate you being here for me, but can you call Sam? I want to see her."

Valerie felt her heart twist. "Sure thing, Danny. The gang should actually be here really soon.


	2. Homecoming

**Chapter 2**

**-V-**

**Homecoming**

Danny's hospital room was soon flooded with gifts and get-well cards as news quickly surfaced of his injury and absence from the ghost fighting scene. An anchorwoman was currently speaking of said incident on the small TV monitor and Valerie sighed. This spelled trouble for her later with ghosts thinking this was their free time to cause destruction.

Relatives and close friends flowed through Danny's hospital room with well wishes and gifts they handed over to Valerie. Danny was shocked to see the aged faces of familiar people and became confused when presented with a new one. Valerie was more than happy to help him get reacquainted with new people, explaining that they would come later on his life as a good ally and friend and spoke of their contributions to their lives.

Jazz and her husband eventually came to visit Danny. She knocked on the door before letting herself in and gave Valerie a sympathetic smile before hugging her.

"I'm sure Danny will get his memories back in due time." She softly assured, and Valerie could hope that was the case. "Mom and Dad couldn't make it-for obvious reasons they had their hands full and had to stay behind but she had me bring you a change of clothes and a bag of other items for the...situation." Jazz gestured to her chest with a raised brow.

"She gave these to me when I needed them, and they really do help. I'll put them in one of the cabinets in here." Said Jazz.

"Thanks Jazz, I really appreciate it. Be sure to send mom-Maddie and Jack my love when you see her again." Valerie smiled and Jazz turned to hide the bags somewhere in the private hospital room.

When she returned, she beamed at Danny. "Hey little bro, how are you doing?"

"I'm feeling a little better than before. Last night I had a dream about several random moments from highschool year but the biggest one was homecoming from senior year and  _man_  was it weird." He laughed awkwardly. He remembered him and Sam arguing all that night because he had fought several ghost before picking her up in his then ripped up Tux. Her parents wouldn't even allow her out the house until he marched on and put on another Tux.

"That's great, I'm glad you're regaining back memories. I want you to re-meet someone. My husband-" She smiled as she grabbed the man's hand standing next to her. Danny's eyes widen as his lips moved to finish her sentence.

"Dash Baxter?" He breathed. "You married Dash?!" He nearly yelled.

Jazz shrugged, unphased by his shock. "What can I say? I had a soft spot for the big oaf. Seems he had a little romantic one himself." She eyed him adoringly.

"Jazz is my everything and I couldn't love anyone more." Dash returned with equally adoring eyes.

"How?" Danny was still speechless and a little perturbed.

"I gave him a chance and we went on one date. He then started to write me poetry and I loved the way he eloquently described my brilliance, beauty, and charm. We've been in love since then." In that moment, Jazz and Dash leaned in for a kiss and the mere sight of it made Danny's vision go blank as a part of his brain throbbed.

" _Jasmine Fenton, do you take this man, Dash Baxter, to be lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold…."_

_Danny sat there with the most disgusted feeling in his stomach that he masked behind a dark scowl. He couldn't believe he was sitting at Jazz and Dash's wedding! The guy who use to bully him married his big sister! He couldn't believe it! The fact that the two were even going out for as long as they did before he proposed was a mystery in itself! They were so different in every way of the word but as he looked over at his mother and father who were balling their eyes out- his father blowing his nose into a pink handkerchief, he got an idea where Jazz got her attraction to bulky jocks from. Apple never fell far from the tree._

_As much as he wanted to object their union, Dash's watery eyes and Jazz's shaking voice as she recited her own made vows stopped him. He knew they were in love and he wouldn't sabotage it as long as it made Jazz happy. Besides, he wasn't the only one in an unlikely relationship as he looked down at the brown hand gripping his own tightly._

_A little voice crept into his ear. "Stop scowling like a child. it could be worse- she could have married Tucker." At that, Danny nearly gagged, he turned to see the amused eyes of…_

"Danny? Danny!" The light in his vision began to dissolve as the first person he could make out was Valerie's overly concerned face and his primary doctor both on either side of his bed.

"Are you alright? Speak to me!" Valerie grabbed his hand in the same manner as she did before, rubbing the back of it soothingly.

"I'm fine...I think I just had a flashback again. Maybe you two kissing triggered a traumatic moment for me." Danny rubbed his head soothingly as Jazz was a mixture of irritated and scared for her brother. Even with half his memories missing, he could still be immature Danny.

Valerie's eyes was hopeful."What were you remembering?"

"Jazz and Dash's wedding…" Danny turned to the couple who looked taken aback. "I remember you two going out for a while before Dash proposed...And it still grosses me out."

The doctor took out a pen and wrote down what Danny had said before speaking. "Yes, your strong feeling of disgusted connected to that memory triggered it and minor pieces as well you probably remember. It's completely normal as much as scents and sounds can trigger nostalgia. I'd say you're on a good path to remembering, albeit hopefully something not as traumatic for you next time around, eh?." The last words were said in amusement as he walked towards the door.

"Please speak up however, if remembering causes you immense pain or distress." Danny nodded before looking back at Jazz as the doctor exited.

"Don't you have kids? For some reason, the Baxter Brats keep ringing in my head." Jazz sighed in irritation.

"Yes we do, two sons actually and  _yes_  you called them that  _ **all the time**_!" Jazz rested her hands on her hips accusingly and Danny laughed.

"I remember that!" He laughed before scoffing. "No offense, but your kids are brats."

"Whatever Danny," Jazz rolled her eyes.

They all talked a little more and Valerie excused herself to go change into the clothes Jazz brought her. Despite feeling a sense of security from seeing his sister, Danny constantly found himself staring at the door, waiting for a familiar duo to walk in and reunite with him.

**-V-**

After Jazz left, Valerie came back dressed in new clothes: a pair of black yoga pants and a baggy navy sweatshirt. She noticed the mild anxious look on Danny's face as she sat down. "Valerie, do you know when they're coming in today? If they're still coming in?"

"Patience Danny, they'll be here soon." She smiled.

"I know but…I really don't know any of these people anymore. Not even Jazz." His eyes grew sad and it panged her. "I just really want to see them more than ever. To feel some type of familiarity. I keep feeling like they're the only ones who haven't changed after all these years."

"I understand ho-Danny." She quickly caught herself again before calling him a term of endearment. "They'll be here real soon." With that, they fell back into a comfortable silence as the small TV talked and Valerie was reading get-well cards and tabs on gifts.

Danny turned his sapphire eyes to look at the haggard woman and wondered out of everyone that visited him today, why was she still here? He decided to ask. "Valerie, why are you still here? Don't you have a family too in this time?"

Valerie pretended like his words didn't affect her too much. "Not exactly, but its fine."

"I don't want to take you away from your family."

"No worries, Danny." She gave him a sincere smile.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Danny?" The first voice was filled with a rich, timbre and it was accompanied by a more feminine one.

"Move out the wayTuck! Danny? Are you there?"

Danny's eyes widened as he tried to sit up in bed. "Sam? Tucker?"

"Hey buddy!" Sam poked her head in and Danny's jaw nearly fell.

"Sam?"He eyed the raven haired woman who smirked at him.

"Looks like you hit your noggin' pretty bad bud." She laughed as she came to his bedside. Her hair had grown out past her shoulders and she wore a black designer trench coat over a black slim dress with a lavender belt. Her eyes were darkened with eyeliner, but her lavender eyes were still filled with a warmth.

"Long time no see." Said Tucker who flashes him a smile. Danny couldn't believe how deep Tucker even  _sounded_  since their junior year.

Danny beamed from his bed as he motioned for them to take a seat, Valerie politely stood to give Sam her seat. She decided to make a list of 'Thank You' letters to occupy her time while the trio caught up.

"So what have you guys been up to since senior year?" Asked Danny, still taken aback by how mature they've gotten. Tucker had traded in his simple cut for long dreads that he kept underneath a red, yellow, and green beanie. He looked beefier than his scrawny teenage self but still had his familiar nerdy aura around him that was hinted with maturity from his years as being the mayor of amity park. Danny remembered that Tuck was still mayor throughout highschool but decided that he wouldn't rerun coming his college years.

They began filling him in on their life. Sam was an art dealer that majorly collects dark, victorian, and melodic pieces. She travels the world mostly by herself as she wasn't married or had any children or pets, but for the most part, she was happy.

"Wow," Danny breathed. "We're still all close right?"

"Well, sort of." Said Tucker guilty. We all actually kind of fell off after high school. We all tried to keep in contact, but it was really difficult. We would really just hang out whenever Sam and I would come back into town for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

"What?! I can't believe that, we're damn-near family!" Danny threw out his good arm to emphasize his point.

"But, the past shouldn't really matter now because we're all her now!" Sam tried to lighten the mood. "We're here Danny and I'm not going anywhere till you're better." She rested her hand over his and smiled. Danny returned the smile.

They talked a little more while Valerie pretended to watch the small TV monitor. She wanted to give the trio their private time to remininsense but she also wanted to be at Danny's side incase of anything. After their chatter began to die down, Sam finally acknowledged Valerie.

"So how have you been since we've last seen each other?" Sam forced sincerity in her voice for the sake of Danny. Even if he didn't remember anything, she still wanted to be cordial.

"I've been getting by fairly well. How's traveling the world going for you?" Valerie smiled with a hint of genuine sincerity. She knew Sam was trying and truthfully, Valerie had buried her side of the hatchet years ago. They weren't friends by a long shot, but she could stomach sitting in a room with Sam nowadays. However, Valerie was more than capable of switching into her bitch mode when need be. But this wasn't that moment, so she simply smiled.

"It's going great." With that, their moment or cordiality was finished and Sam nodded once before turning back to Danny.

Danny and Tucker watched the swift interaction with mixed emotions; Tucker having a knowing look in his eye as he's been through this before, and Danny who simply looked a bit confused and intrigued. From what he could remember, Sam almost threw a party when Valerie finally moved away with her dad. The two couldn't even be in a room for than 20 minutes at one point as Sam would have an attitude and Valerie wouldn't mind catching one too. This new shift in attitude had a clear sign of growth from both parties and it really made him interested.

"Am I missing something here?" Asked Danny. He really wanted to address the elephant in the room. "How are you two getting along so well?"

"Well, it's because you told us to." Sam rolled her eyes.

"Woooow, I gotta remember that moment." He laughed but Sam and Valerie couldn't share in his amusement. They rather not remember that tearful moment in their past that nearly broke them all apart.

"Anyway Danny," Sam tried to change the subject. "How long they say you're going to be here?"

"Well, considering I have ghost powers that's allowing me to quickly regenerate, I think I have another week here before they release me. I should be in a boot and a sling by then hopefully."

Sam nodded thoughtfully, "Sounds great!"

"Yea, the moment you get out we need to celebrate!" Said Tucker.

They talked a little more before Tucker had to leave to visit his parents for dinner. He gave Danny a handshake with his good hand and hugged Sam. Valerie smiled and thanked him for visiting which he then pulled her in for a hug, muttering something along the lines of her being family.

A nurse knocked on the door before cracking it to peak her head in. "I'm sorry to intrude. It's time for Daniel's bath." She spoke and Sam and Valerie nodded before standing out in the hall to give Danny privacy. Valerie may be his wife, but she didn't want him to feel anymore uncomfortable by her presence than how he was now.

They sat in the waiting room but didn't say a thing to one another. The tension in the room began to grow thick as a jungle. There were words that needed to be exchanged but none were said until Sam grew tired of the silence.

"Valerie...listen." Sam sighed. "I know this must be hard for you and it's hard on all of us that Danny's going through this."

Valerie's smile was tight. "Sam, with all due respect, you can't even begin to know what I'm going through right now. My husband almost died. My husband doesn't remember that he's even married to me. My husband still thinks that  _you're_  his girlfriend and calls for you every ten minutes. Sam, how can you even begin to process how I feel right now?"

Sam's anger flared. "You're not the only one feeling some type of way! I haven't seen my best friend in  _years_  and the time I finally get a phone call, its to hear he's in the hospital! You weren't the only one scared for his safety!"

"Well Sam, no one told you to move away! No one told you to not pick up a phone and call! A conversation goes two ways last time I checked."

"You're right Valerie, and that's why I'm going to be there for Danny until he gets his memories back. I'm not leaving until then. I want to be there for Danny the way I wasn't for all those years." Valerie looked at her as if she grew a second head.

"You're joking right? I won't allow you to influence him in his vulnerable state."

"The doctor is right Valerie; Danny needs to be around a familiar face and that face is me, Tucker, and his family, people who he is  _close_  to." Sam was assertive as she spoke. "People he remembers."

Valerie didn't like that jab, her eyes narrowed warningly.

"I understand that but you forget one simple thing: I am his  **wife** , I'm his primary caregiver by default so you can't just up and take him from me." Valerie was right and knew the doctors would side with her if this became a legal battle.

Sam stood up from her seat, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "If you really care about Danny, you will do what is best for him. We're what's best for him."

"Oh please Sam," Valerie stood up as well when the nurse finally left the room.

"Just know Valerie, when you go back in there, it's not you who he asks for." With that, Sam turned around. "Tell Danny something came up and I had to go." With that, she departed from the hospital, leaving Valerie clutching her twisted heart.

**-V-**

**Thanks for reading and tell me whatcha think!**


	3. Coming Home

**Chapter 3**

**-V-**

**Coming Home**

Sam continued to visit Danny in the hospital as she promised. Everyday, promptly at the same time, she popped her head in and Danny lit up like a Christmas tree. They talked, they laughed, Danny confided in her and Valerie felt irritated each time. But she promised herself she wouldn’t nag and intervene unless Sam crossed the line, so she tolerated it.

Today, because of Danny’s ghost powers allowing him to regenerate remarkably well, the doctors cleared him to go home and Valerie was more than please to hear. While Sam kept him company in the hospital, Valerie decided to go home and prepare it for Danny’s welcomed return. She packed away family pictures, sealed up photo albums and even moved away his battle suits and her own into a private closet so he wouldn’t get an inkling of their relationship so soon. She stood in her living room feeling tired as she took another once over and her eyes landed on a big problem she nearly forgot about.

It was their wedding photo, mounted high and proud above the mantle. Valerie smiled fondly. She had been standing in her giant white ball gown with her veil haloing  behind her and her makeup was nearly rubbed away from all the tears she shed through the ceremony. Danny held her close against his chest in the photo and all their family and friends crowded around them in smiles that reached their eyes. Her eyes landed on Danny’s friend, Tucker who beamed happily, one hand clapped on his shoulder and slowly dragged her eyes to look at Sam’s insincere smile. No matter how much Danny loved this photo, she hated it for that one fake smile.

Valerie went to the kitchen to retrieve a bar stool and came back to take down the giant photo. She walked down her hall to a room and opened it. Inside, she exhaled through her nostrils, not wanting to look at the empty cradle while she sat the photo to the side. As she walked out, she locked that specific room behind her.

Valerie stood with her back against the door as tears welled her eyes. She shook her head to rid herself of the tears and sighed the ache from her chest. She didn’t know if it was still her hormones settling or genuine pain that led her to flat out crying as she gathered her things to leave the house. Whilst wiping away her sadness with her sleeve, she packed Danny’s clothes for leaving the hospital, hoping-  _praying_  that coming home would do Danny good and she could finally get her family back.

The ride back to the Hospital was somber as she drove. In the parking lot, she took the opportunity to fix her face in the car before plastering a smile and motivating herself as she walked through the hall to Danny’s room.

Valerie reached for the doorknob but her fingers stilled against the handle as a faint voice flittered into her ears. It was Sam. “You should think about it. The doctor cleared you to leave and I can’t stay in Amity Park for long but you could come with me Danny, and we could be together like old times.” She said, her voice pleading. There was a pregnant silence as Valerie fumed.  _How dare she!!_ Valerie's brow furrowed indignantly.  They already had this conversation and the woman still went behind her back!

Valerie was just about to barge in and wring her little neck out when Danny spoke. “I..I don’t know Sam.” She stilled once again. “I was so happy to see you guys and you really did make me feel at home, but something in me tells me to stay here. I still want to protect Amity Park from ghosts and whoever hurt me is still out there and...and...for some reason, there’s something here I feel tied to. It's a nagging feeling in my head really but I should trust it, I think. I hope you understand.”

Sam sounded bitter. “Well, if that’s your decision then I will respect it. But know, what happened between us was entirely my fault. I shouldn’t had treated you like I did and I took you for granted. I know you forgave me when you still had memories, but I still live with the constant guilt and regret Danny. I just want to make it right again. I didn’t lose a friend, but I did lose someone I love.”

“Thank you Sam-” Valerie opened the door to two shocked faces. Sam had her long raven hair down but her bang tied back reminiscent of her signature high school hairstyle. Her face was red and eyes swollen with tear streaks. Her anger flared at the sight of Valerie and she quickly fixed her demeanor.

She turned away from Valerie, her eyes softening on Danny. “If it’s alright with Valerie, I still want to visit you after you leave the hospital until I leave Amity Park.”

Valerie's anger seemed to simmer down to sympathy. “Of course you can Sam.”

With that, she gathered her coat and purse and with a hug to Danny, she left herself out the room. Danny looked down at his bandaged hands, lost in thought.

“Are you okay?” Valerie rested her gentle hand over his, feeling his body tense in response.

“Yea...Sam asked me to go with her…” Danny felt the warmth of her hand comfort him during his moment of confusion.

Valerie averted her eyes, slightly guilty. “I..umm...Overheard your conversation.” She moved to sit at the edge of his bed.

“So you know, huh?”

“Yes,” She whispered.

“Valerie,” he said after one more moment, lifting his sad blue eyes to her.

“Yes Danny?”

He spoke for a moment but retracted the words. He took a second to iron out his thought before sighing in defeat. “Can you tell me more about the end of high school?”

“Of course Danny.” She smiled as she took out her phone to show pictures. Danny shyly suggested she share the bed with him so he could get a better look at her phone. Valerie climbed in the side of the bed and snuggled herself a respectable distance, being careful not to interrupt any of his tubes.

Her index finger shifted through her photo album, quickly swiping her from any current pictures, much to Danny’s chagrin. He had hoped to probably see a sexy photo or maybe even something more to tease Valerie about but she didn’t allow it. She scrolled to a picture of their graduating class and handed him the phone.

“This is graduation day. There's you, Sam, Tucker, Paulina, and Dash.”

“Wow," Her laughed lightly. "We all look so grown up. What ever happen to Paulina and Dash? “

“Paulina went to college for fashion but ended up someone's trophy wife midway through. Dash became a frat guy and majoring in partying- that is before your sister came into the picture and straightened him out.”

“Wow, it took Jazz to turn a block head into a fatherly block head.” They laughed.

“What happened to you? I vaguely remember you leaving with your Dad.”

“Well” She spoke. “My dad and I moved to Chicago for a while and I attended private school there and after high school-”

“You and I went to the same college.” He said, jogging his memory.

She smiled. “...Yes. You and I went to same college together miraculously and reconnected.” She looked on at the pictures fondly before scrolling on. She was mindful of keeping her fingers away from scrolling into their college years and the part of the photo album that stored their engagement photos and wedding pictures.

When they finished, she asked. “Are you ready to go home?”

Danny raised a brow. “Where’s home?”

“Well...until you’re better, you can stay with me- if that’s fine with you, if you much prefer, you can stay with Maddie and Jack?”

He contemplated: go home to his parents who will probably drive him insane and overwhelm him or take his friend and former love interest’s request. He loved his parents but didn't need all his memories to know that nothing has changed one bit about them. “Nah, I think I’ll just stay with you...but will your...significant other mind?”

“No, I don’t think so. He’s technically..not around… but he wouldn’t mind if I’m helping a friend in need.”

**-V-**

Danny walked into the home and felt a feeling of nostalgia wash over him. He felt his chest swell with comfort and love as he walked through the threshold. Valerie spied a small picture of him and her together and quickly slammed it down on its face as he walked through the door.

“So this is where you live?” Danny quietly marveled.

“Yep.”

“Did I use to visit a lot?”

Valerie was hopeful. “Yea..you did actually. This will be your room.” She showed him to a guest bedroom and he walked in. It was simple enough but it felt empty compared to the rest of the house and the niggling feeling in the back of his head wouldn’t relent.

After she got him settled in, she quickly began to make dinner but gasped when she forgot the bottles in the sink. She quickly cleaned them and stored them away in the high shelf with the good China in it.

She got started on preparing dinner and poured herself a glass of wine as she did. After a while, Danny came into the kitchen and sat in one of the high stools. He didn’t like the way the stool felt and decided to sit in the middle chair where it was a little more comfortable. Valerie tried not to laugh as he discovered his favorite seat at the table. He watched her cook with wide childlike eyes, recognizing the familiar scent wafting through the kitchen.

“Meatloaf?” He asked.

“Yep, your favorite.”

“How did you know?”

Valerie shrugged teasingly. “You’re my best friend, I just know these things”

“Wow” he laughed. He watched her more as she moved around the kitchen, taking in her body as he did so. She was wearing a pair of skin-tight jeans that hugged every curve of her body and showed off her well endowed bottom that strained the poor belt keeping her jeans up. He felt his mouth water as his eyes dragged up to her waist that was hidden underneath the baggy V-neck but didn’t hide away her breast that were running over the cup of her bra, not noticing the insert that peeked from inside her bra. He felt all his blood run south and sat uncomfortably in the chair. He didn’t realize what he was doing until he shook all the impure thoughts from his head- what was he thinking! This was his best friend who opened her house to him and here he was thinking nasty thoughts about her.

Still...It wouldn’t had been the first time he entertained those thoughts to an extent, they  _did_ date at one point after all and he did invision her in many ways on his lonely nights with his hand, but this time is different. They were older now and from what she told him, she was already spoken for. So he tried to keep his thoughts to a respectful one.

Valerie didn’t miss his longing glances at her rear or how his eyes lingered on her chest. She reveled in the fact his attraction to her still persisted but she couldn’t deny that she wasn’t feeling or looking the best aesthetically and her breast were still very sore even with the gel pads against them.

"So, about your...boyfriend. Where's he at?"

Valerie took a long sip of her dark wine and racked her brain for something to say. "Hero business...He's sort of a...Hero." 

Danny nodded mutely. "Really? That's...great. I'm glad you found someone." He said, but Danny didn't know if the truly meant that.

"Thank you," She poured another glass and hoped he dropped the subject.

"...How did you meet?" Valerie nearly choked.

"Through... _you_. You introduced us. He's was a friendly rival of yours. You guys often got into competition."  _God, I'm such a liar._  She inwardly cringed.

Well, her little lie seemed to have satisfied the halfa as he digested her words.

“ I’m kind of happy some things are starting to make sense at least.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The way you act now to me and the way you are with Sam and how you’ve been at my side like glue through my whole injury. The fact I introduced you to the love of your life. We must have really been gotten close in college.” He surmised.

She nodded. “You’re completely correct; we were always in each others dorm room, talking after class and going to parties.” She left out the other explicit details and watched Danny fight to turn on that light bulb in his mind, He wanted all of what she said to click but nothing.

She downed the rest of her wine and heard the oven ding and pulled the meatloaf from the oven. She took out a knife and sliced a healthy portion of the loaf for Danny with his mash potatoes on top.

He was shocked she even knew the way he liked his food arranged and thanked her. They ate in silence, him enjoying every bite of his dinner and Valerie watching him with hidden adoration. They had light conversation about life in Amity Park. Valerie had got him up to speed with a lot of the ghosts- who left, stayed, and settled down in the ghost zone. She told him how many have become allies of his and retired from mischief in Amity Park. She also warned him how their kids were not as friendly and often they would battle them, finding that they were stronger and a little more cunning than their parents.

Danny absorbed all of what she said as gospel. He was shocked that so much changed, he hardly knew anything about his life anymore. After dinner, Valerie began to clean the dishes and Danny stood to help.

“You don’t have to,” She smiled. “I got it. Go sit and relax."

“No, I insist.” Danny grabbed the plates from Valerie’s hand and went over to the sink.

“Wow, you really must of hit your head pretty hard. The old Danny would never offer to help.” Valerie mocked with a laugh but Danny frowned.

“Was I… a jerk?” His brow furrowed.

Valerie’s eyes widened. “No no! I just meant that you were always tired and couldn’t really help a lot. You are the sweetest person Danny. I’m sorry for confusing you.”

They finished the rest of the dishes in silence then made their way to the living room where Valerie poured herself a cup of water. Danny looked visibly uncomfortable.

“Is there something the matter?” She watched him awkwardly stand in the middle of the room before settling on a loveseat.

“I just get this nagging feeling about this place. Something feels off about it. I can't put my finger on it, but this room feels really... _empty_.”

Valerie rested a hand on his knee. “Don’t stress yourself to remember anything, it’ll come back to you Danny.” She smiled but Danny could smell the alcohol on her breath and saw sadness hidden behind a veil in her eyes.

They retired into their rooms for the night. Danny felt uncomfortable in the foreign room. He tossed and turned before settling on staring at the ceiling until he exhausted himself. Valerie laid in her King sized bed alone with teary eyes and silently wept until she tired herself to sleep.

**-V-**

Thank you for reading! Sorry for the long update. I had bad writers block. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and leave a review!


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